Your Smile
by Chiaki Yumi
Summary: Minako's parents had just died and now, she can't get a hold of their deaths... She needs a push to finally accept this tragedy and move on... What's the secret behind her smile...? ONESHOT


**Your Smile...**

_"Mom... Dad... Onii-chan... Why did you leave me...?"_

In one night, the young girl felt like she had lost everything... Or rather, the ones she treasured the most. She just lost her parents, her brother was sent away with her uncle, and now, she had to move with her aunt and her husband. They weren't really bad, it's just that she didn't feel welcome when they picked her up. There was a lot of complaints among her relatives on who should keep the kid, and they kept passing the responsibility from one to the other. That was why she and her brother was kept in a different custody. It seemed as though they were just being forced to take her in.

The girl stared out the car window with void a expression on her face. She hadn't spoken since the incident. Not even a smile, a frown nor a sound had come out from her. "Minako-chan... I understand that you're sad about my sister's death... But please... Cheer up" The old woman sighed, turning to the girl. She didn't respond. Her blood-red eyes were sucked dry of life. "Geh... Leave the kid alone. She'd forget about this soon. Believe me" The man driving answered in an uncaring tone. His wife glared at him, but he ignored her and continued driving. Suddenly, the car began making strange noises, and before they knew it, black smoke began steaming out and the car had broken down. The group had stopped in the middle of the road, with the old man cursing, as he pounded on the steering wheel.

"Dammit! That kid's unlucky, I'm tellin' you!" The man growled, with anger. He jumped out the car and slammed his door shut. His wife sighed again and glanced at the poor child. She wasn't responding to anything. Her eyes was just blankly staring out the window. "Don't mind him Minako-chan... C'mon... Let's go out, it's hot here..." She gave the child a pitiful look and gently pulled her out of the dark-blue car.

The man began cursing again while he checked the car engine. He even kicked the tires in frustration. "Car's busted! I need to get some materials to get it back! Damn that kid!" He turned to the woman who seemed rather annoyed with his complaints. "Cool yourself... Seriously... It's not her fault..." She crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Good thing there's a residence over there... Let's ask for some help. Minako-chan, stay here ok?" She smiled at the girl. As expected, she didn't respond. The woman sighed again and left with the restless man, turning to the girl for a final time...

The area they stopped in was not exactly a residential area, though there are quite a few houses in the place. There was also a lot of trees that you'd think the place was a forest. You can say the place had a somewhat rural feel to it. There were some stores farther ahead, in the west side was the one clad with trees. It was said that past that was an orphanage. The girl just stood in the middle of the road, in front of the car. It was as if she was out of this world. That was until a red little ball rolled beside her feet. She stared at it for a moment, but did nothing else other than that.

"Dammit, Aki! How many times do I have to tell him to throw the ball right?" A young boy groaned, running out of the forest-like area. He had dark-chestnut hair which was covered by the worn-out beanie he wore. This kid was wearing ragged, dirty clothes and was running barefooted. The child spotted the girl who was just staring at the ball. He stopped running and instead, began walking slowly to her, with his hawk-like eyes locked between the girl and the ball. "Hey. Can you get that ball?" He called out in a rough tone. The girl turned to him, her expression was blank as ever. The boy scratched his head and pointed at the ball. Minako slowly shifted her gaze on it and slowly picked it up, still, with a void expression. "What's up with you?" The boy sighed and walked toward her. She held out the ball to him while he swiped it quickly.

The child was about to leave her, but he turned back to see how she was. As expected, she was still expressionless. "Tch. Another one..." He muttered and ran back to her. The young man tried to avoid her eyes as he gently pat her head. The little girl looked up straight at his now blushing face. "C'mon. It's alright to cry... Let it out..." He muttered in a gentle tone. Her lifeless eyes stared at him. A moment later, tears began falling. Soon, she began sobbing. "Uuuuh... Mom... And dad... Even onii-chan... They left Mina-chan alone... Auntie said they're not coming back..." She cried, wiping her eyes with her little hands. The boy looked at her gently and rummaged through his pocket. He began wiping her tears with a white hanky. "See? Felt good right?" He smiled at her. The girl took hold of the cloth and began wiping her face, while the boy watched her. "T-thanksh..." She muttered to him, still crying. Her eyes already had a bit of color to it. She blushed in embarrassment after realizing that she just cried in front of this kid. "U-uh... S-sorry..." She mumbled, trying to avoid the boy's eyes, Minako looked down on the ground. "Tch. It's nothing... I'm used to taking care of brats... I have a big one and a small one back there..." The boy pointed at the forest in reply. Minako nodded on response, still sobbing. She handed the white cloth back to the boy, but he pushed her hand back. "You can keep that" He smirked. The girl blushed again and finally smiled in gratitude, with her eyes still filled with tears. "Hey... You look better smiling... So... Don't feel down anymore" The child began patting her head again, he was blushing, but he tried to keep a straight face. The girl blushed back and followed on with a smile, nodding to him. He finally turned away from the red-eyed girl with a red face and ran back into the forest of trees with ball in hand.

"Minako-chan! We're back!" The old woman waved at the girl, behind her, the old man followed with a tool box in hand. The young girl turned to her with a bright smile in her face, much to the woman's (and her husband's) surprise. "Auntie! I hope you will take care of me!" She bowed to her and turned to the man who was fidgeting with the engine. "You too uncle!" She smiled, peeking at the man. "Che. What's with you?" He muttered, though his face was obviously burning red with embarrassment. _'Thank you...'_ The girl stared off in the thick trees. She smiled gently and held the white cloth close to her chest...

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><p>"Hey... What's that Minako-chan?" The blue-haired boy asked. He stood behind the girl who had reddish-brown hair. She was sitting alone on the sofa in the dormitory living room. It was a winter night. They were on their winter vacation, left with an important decision to make, to battle Nyx or to kill Death. The dormmates have already settled down, all of them had made their choice. Except for one, their field leader, Minako Arisato.<p>

The girl was holding onto a small, white handkerchief when the boy approached her from behind. She turned to him and smiled gently, showing the boy the cloth. "This... Was given to me by someone during the darkest moment of my life..." She said it rather calmly while she stared at the cloth, grasping it tightly. She turned back to her him and stood up. Her eyes were brimming with excitement as she pulled his arm. "Onii-chan! Let's visit Shinjiro-senpai today~!" She exclaimed with a smile. The boy smiled back at her and followed. "Seriously... I can't say no when you smile like that..." He shook his head. The girl turned back to him. "Hehe... You don't know the half of it!" Minako grasped the cloth. It was wet. She glanced at it for one last time and tucked it inside her pocket...

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><p><strong>Meh... A little quickie... I could picture it in my mind, but I can't seem to get the right words... I was thinking... Minato was passive and silent and has an emo reputation... I'm guessing it was because of his past... But Minako... To be cheerful despite her past... Well... I wondered about that and suddenly came up with this... Somehow... I feel rushed in this T_T <strong>

**Persona 3, does not belong to me.**

**(P.S. If possible, please check the poll in my profile)  
><strong>


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